You will always hear agents talking about the market in simple terms:  it boils down to supply and demand.  So lets look at Salem Oregon's current market conditions based on supply and demand for the first trimester of the year (January -April). Demand :There have been 526 home sales in the first trimester There were 738 homes sold in Salem, OR in 2007 for the same time frame. This is a decline in demand of 28.7%. Supply :There are 1466 homes listed during the first trimester.In 2007, there were 1537 homes listed in the same time frame.This is a 4.6% decrease in supply.At current market performance rates, it will take 10.6 months to sell all of the homes that are on the market in Salem,OR now. Escrow :There are 167 homes in escrow at present.  Prices :The Average Sold Price appears to b... 05/08/2008

When people think of Oregon they think of forests.  Timber is a part of the Oregon economy and is what makes our part of the country truly stunning. So it should come as no surprise to homeowners that we have city codes that require tree preservation. This is really important for people that have bought newer construction homes or plan to purchase new construction homes.  In addition to requiring street trees, homes that have been built since June of 2000 must have Lot sizeNumber of treesUp to an including 6,000 sq feet26001-700037001-800048001-900059001 and above6   So what this means is that if the developer of the lot clear cut the area in order to make the lots, then you as the homeowner, or the builder of your home will be required to make up the deficit my planting the required nu... 05/07/2008

 I am a home inspector in Salem Oregon.  Home inspections are generally based on a perfect home.  The one issue with that is that there is no such thing as a perfect home.The job of a competent home inspector is to see and comment on everything.  It would be impossible to determine what our clients did or didn't care about in the thousands of components and systems that we look at.  So we comment on everything and let our clients determine what they find important and significant.Of course there are exceptions such as, in the Salem area of the Willamette valley Oregon, gutters and downspouts.  If there is one system that needs to work perfectly it is the gutters and downspouts.It has everything to do with how we receive rain.  In our area the rain comes down relatively slowly.   Very se... 05/06/2008

        What do these photos have in common?  (well beside being really bad MLS photos...)They make the house look like it is heading down the slope in a landslide.  Now rest assured that these homes did not end up at the bottom of a hill.  Last year I had a buyer who called me about a house they were purchasing on a "hill" as apparently a man feel into a sinkhole while sitting in his home.  (I put "hill" in quotes because from a Salem perspective, the house was not on a hill).  Anyway, she was concerned about this, so I pulled the maps for her and encouraged her to call the city with her concerns.Since then I have had clients ask me about earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural hazards so I thought I would put out there some information about our local hazards, starting with... 05/02/2008

 April  2008 - A Negotiation Ends Up in a Win-Win for Buyer and Seller - powered by The Secret !I just completed a difficult negotiation between a buyer and seller with three different counter offers. Only three. That doesn't seem like much, however the intensity of human emotion on both sides can become very obvious when there is a tug of war over price. As a broker representing the buyer, I advised them up front that the negotiation can get stressful sometimes and this is normal. I also said that I will try to stay "in the eye of the hurricane" and stay calm if things start getting difficult. This happened most of the time, and when I was affected one day, my client called me on it, and I advised them that I was also human! But that was the day before. Now I was back in the eye of the... 04/17/2008

         As I was taking pictures of tulips the other day at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, it got me thinking about the perception that it rains all of the time in Oregon.  So I did a little research and according to WeatherBillThe 10 rainiest cities in the U.S. by amount of annual rainfall are: Mobile, Alabama--67 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days Pensacola, Florida--65 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days New Orleans, Louisiana--64 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days West Palm Beach, Florida--63 inches average annual rainfall; 58 average annual rainy days Lafayette, Louisiana--62 inches average annual rainfall; 55 average annual rainy days Baton Rouge, Louisiana--62 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average... 04/16/2008

                      Horse drawn carriages clip-clopped, streetcars clanged, long skirts rustled.   Like many people, I find the history of people and places interesting. As much as humanity grows and changes, we also stay the same.  While we have gone from horse drawn carts to rockets, humanity still experiences joy and sorrow that defines us as human.    As you walk through downtown Salem and see the heavy oak doors, decorative mouldings, and arched windows, you get a small glimpse of the life of Salemites during a time gone by.    You can't help but wonder about the lives of the people who visited these buildings during their lifetimes:  a farmer trading his wheat for cloth, a banker lending a dime for some seed, or a blacksmith drinking some beer at the end of the day.      Salem w... 04/06/2008

The first quarter has ended for the real estate market.  Here is where our local markets currently stand. Market data information is from the local WVMLS. Average Sales price: The average sales price so far this year is $214,957, down 8.3 % from last year's $234,779.  What this means for you as a seller, is that it doesn't matter what your neighbor got last year, you probably won't get that this year.  Prices are still correcting. Home Sales Closed: In the first quarter this year, 377 homes closed on the market.  That is down 28.3 % from the same time frame last year when 526 homes closed in the first quarter. What this means for you as a seller is that you have to be the best house with the best price.  Inventory is climbing. New Home Construction: New home sales were down 46% from the... 04/02/2008

"Doesn't it rain in Oregon, like 365 days a year?  Someone told me you guys only get 30 days of sun a year."   I hear this constantly from people looking to relocate to Salem, Oregon.  Concerned about the massive downpour of rain that they think we get here, they don't think they can handle the doom and gloom of Oregon.   Just for the record:  it does rain here.  But we do get sun, contrary to rumors otherwise.  Today is March 31, 2008 and this picture was taken this morning. Looks like a sunny day to me.  As I was downtown today, I headed down to the Capitol Mall here in Salem to take some pictures of the cherry trees. They aren't in bloom long, so you need to get down there and see their splendor. The Capitol Mall is a wonderfully designed area that is truly beautiful.  Cherry trees l... 03/31/2008

As I was boiling eggs for my daughter's preschool class yesterday, I thought I would write a quick blog about our local Easter egg hunts and bunny sightings.EGG HUNTS:Morningside United Methodist Church will have it's annual egg hunt in the forest behind the church.  Four age groups and 1500 hidden eggs. 10 a.m. March 22 3674 12th St. SE. Free. Contact: (503) 391-1820.Marquis Care Silver Gardens- 4 p.m. March 21, , 115 S James St., Silverton. Free. Contact: (503) 873-5362.Dallas Indoor Play Park For infants through 5-year-olds.  Bring basket for egg hunt, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 21, First Presbyterian Church, 879 SW Levens St., Dallas. Free. Contact: (503) 710-0304.Dayspring Fellowship 10 a.m. March 22, , 1755 Lockhaven Drive NE, Keizer. Free. Contact: (503) 390-3900.South Salem Rehab ... 03/20/2008

Wright Elementary school is located on Lone Oak in South Salem.  It is home to the Falcons, and enrolls just under 500 students.  Wright pulls from established neighborhoods, so its enrollment tends to stay fairly consistent.  This may change if boundaries are redrawn. This school is also home to Mr. James.  Now, I don't normally talk about specific teachers, but it is rare to have a male teacher in elementary school, and it is more rare to have a male kindergarten teacher.  While I have never met Mr. James, I've heard nothing but raves from parents about him.  He is one of Wright's kindergarten teachers.  Wright consistently gets a strong report card from the Oregon Department of Education. Here is the history of Wright's reports from the state of Oregon.   2006-2007 K-05 RC Detail She... 03/17/2008

The calls are starting to come in with sellers looking to get their homes listed starting in April.  As with all of my listings, I am brutally honest about our market conditions.  People are hiring me to sell their home, not just list it.Here is what is occurring in our local Willamette Valley areaAverage Sales price:The average sales price so far this year is $231,049, down 7.6% from last year's $250,205.  What this means for you as a seller, is that it doesn't matter what your neighbor got last year, you probably won't get that this year.  Prices are declining.Home Sales Closed:In January and February this year, 801 homes closed on the market.  That is down 39.4% from the same time frame last year,and in fact is the lowest since before 1997 when data is easily available on the MLS.  W... 03/09/2008

In the hottest part of the market, a new development went into West Salem called West Meadows Estates.  This subdivision has upper end homes.   It is governed by Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions and there is an HOA associated with living within this community.   VideoAd by Mixpo     West Meadows estates is located off of Glen Creek Rd in West Salem. Titan is the main street though the subdivision.  If you take Wallace Rd, make a left on Glen Creek. After you pass Doaks Ferry, you will see this subdivision on your right hand side.   West Meadows Estates is located in the Chapman Hill, Walker, and West Salem High school districts.  West Salem high school is located just at the intersection of Titan and Orchard Heights.  As with all schools boundaries are subject to change, so verif... 03/07/2008

    Located on the West side of Salem (ie across the river in Polk County), Chatnika Heights is a combination of homes built in the 1960's to homes built until the past decade.  As a result, a wide range of architectural styles fills this neighborhood.  Tri-levels, ranches, traditional two story homes, and the occasional contemporary style give this neighborhood a lot of diversity.     Chatnika Heights is located off of Glen Creek Rd past where Doaks Ferry veers south.  It is a very stable neighborhood with homes holding their resale value well.      The neighborhood is served by Chapman Hill Elementary School, Walker Middle School, and West Salem High School.  As with all schools, boundaries are subject to change so check boundaries with the local school district prior to a move.      ... 03/04/2008

McKinley Elementary is located on McGilchrist.  It is a public school that serves kindergarten-5th grades.   The Mountain Lions have their own website, that can give parents a good feel for what is happening at that elementary school.  McKinley Elementary tends to have around 300 students and is in an established area which includes the Bush Park neighborhood. McKinley has consistently gotten strong ratings from the Oregon Department of Education.    2006-2007 K-05 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Met   2005-2006 K-05 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Met   2004-2005 K-05 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Met   2003-2004 K-05 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Met   2002-2003 K-05 Report Card Strong AYP Report Met   2001-2002 K-05 Report C... 03/03/2008

Tucked away, this neighborhood is a hidden gem here in Salem Oregon. Located in south Salem, you will never know that this neighborhood exists unless you happen to take a turn on the street Welcome Way.  With street name like Elf and Snow White Way, this neighborhood is actually three subdivisions together, Hardwick Estates, Alderbrook Manor, and The Woods.    Most of these homes were built in the 1970's and 1980's some the homes tend to have more contemporary styles such as the popular 1970 shed style.  Most homes in this neighborhood range in price from $200,000-$700,000. Special Considerations: These subdivisions do have HOA's as well as dues.  If this is an issue for you, make sure to get this information prior to writing an offer.  School Districts: This neighborhood is served by W... 03/01/2008

South Salem High School is located on Church and Howard, not far from Bush Park. Home of the Saxons, South has an enrollment of students just under 2,000. South has been around since 1954 and was the second high school built in Salem.  North and South Salem Highs have a long running rivalry as they were the first two high schools for Salem. Here is their Oregon Department of Education Report Card   2006-2007 09-12 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2005-2006 09-12 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2004-2005 09-12 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2003-2004 09-12 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2002-2003 09-12 Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2001-2002 09-12 Repor... 02/28/2008

Pringle Elementary school is located on the corner of Reed Rd and Baxter Rd.  Pringle's enrollment is close to 600 students.  A large chunk of the new construction in South Salem is occurring within the boundaries of this school district.Another elementary school was recently built nearby, so I would double check school boundaries, if that is important to you.  They may change due to the increased school enrollment at Pringle.Pringle consistently gets a strong report card from the Oregon Department of Education. Here is the history of Pringle's reports from the state of Oregon.2006-2007K-05RC Detail SheetReport CardStrongAYP ReportMet  2005-2006K-05RC Detail SheetReport CardStrongAYP ReportMet  2004-2005K-05RC Detail SheetReport CardStrongAYP ReportMet  2003-2004K-05RC Detail SheetRepor... 02/26/2008

Located off of Idylwood Drive and Jones Rd, Judson Middle school is a public school serving 6-8th grades. The Judson Jaguars are home to about 900 students.  The school offers some after school activities to keep kids busy. This can be especially nice for parents that are working. The Oregon Department of Education completes annual report cards on all Oregon's schools.  Judson's ratings are as follows:  2006-2007 06-08 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Met   2005-2006 06-08 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Not Met   2004-2005 06-08 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Strong AYP Report Not Met   2003-2004 06-08 RC Detail Sheet Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2002-2003 06-08 Report Card Satisfactory AYP Report Not Met   2001-2002 06-08 Report Card Satisfacto... 02/25/2008

A box...that is what comes to my mind when I look at the American Foursquare style home. It is also known as the Prairie Box.  This was a very popular style from 1895-1930.  It was very economical to build since the lines are so simple and clean. The American Foursquare will have some of the following features: Simple box like shape Two story home A four room floor plan Low sloped roofs, like a 3-12 slope, with deeper overhangs. A central dormer Brick, stone, concrete block, or wood exterior Front porch extending the entire length. Wide stairs   The interiors were limited to a few rooms in order to give people living in the city, a more functional living space. Since city lots were so small, (they thought they were small back then...), this style was created to give city dwellers some ... 02/25/2008